Entertainment

YouTube Is Sending Copyright Offenders Back to School [VIDEO]

YouTube has launched a campaign to educate users on copyright infringement. And it includes a feature that will require users who receive copyright notifications to watch a mandatory PSA-style video.

The four-and-a-half minute video, "YouTube Copyright School," stars the characters of the popular Happy Tree Friends video series. In it, a narrator discusses the implications and nuances of copyright law, as well as YouTube's new policy for handling copyright infringement, with Russell (the blue sea otter). It's a relatively successful attempt to make a video about a dry topic bearable.

Starting Thursday, watching the video will be mandatory if a user receives a valid copyright notification. In order to upload any new videos, the user will also have to answer questions in a short quiz YouTube has created.

"We want to help our users operate within the law and within our guidelines," Google Senior Product Counsel Lance Kavanaugh told Mashable. "Requiring that people complete Copyright School after receiving a copyright notification means they'll understand why their actions were wrong, come away with a better understanding of the law, and be more likely to comply with YouTube's guidelines in future."

Along with the mandatory video, YouTube has also changed how it treats copyright offenses. In the past, YouTube would essentially keep a person's copyright violations on his or her permanent record, regardless of having a solid track record overall. Starting Thursday though, YouTube users with a good history will have the ability to "remove a strike" from their record by watching the video. The company is also launching a Copyright Center that includes detailed information and frequently asked questions about copyright law.

Watching the YouTube Copyright School video felt a little like going to online driving school after getting a ticket, and that's probably what YouTube was trying to accomplish. Google doesn't want another Viacom lawsuit and its renewed focus on original content simply makes illegally uploaded content a pain point. Educating (and potentially scaring) repeat offenders is a smart way to decrease copyright violations.

What do you think of YouTube Copyright School? Is it the right approach?

Mashable
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